Fishing in
Eagle River
Fishing Report
Updated 07/21
We’re halfway through July, and our Northwoods summer is in full swing. After a stretch of storms and heavy rain last week, we had a nice stretch of warm days and cool nights. Water levels are holding steady thanks to the recent rains, and weed growth is lush on most area lakes. Water temps are running in the mid-70’s in most places, with a few of the shallower lakes or quiet bays creeping into the low 80’s during hot afternoons and cooling off again with a couple cool nights.
Fishing has held up well. Although we have seen a little mid-summer lull in the huge crowds, mornings and evenings continue to be the best times to be on the water, both for fish activity and to avoid the water sports crowds. During the heat of the day, look for fish to slide deeper or tuck into cover and green weeds for shade and oxygen. The best days for fishing are often the days that are a little cloudy and a little windy, at this time of the year.
Walleye
After a slow-down, walleye fishing has begun to pick up a bit. Most fish are being caught along the deep weed edges or just outside them. On the darker, stained lakes, that usually means about 10-12 feet of water. On clearer lakes, look for weed lines around 12 to 15 feet. Leeches, crawlers (cut in half or quarters, for better hookups), and fatheads are all producing fish right now. Slip bobbers are working well, especially during low-light periods. Jigging close to the bottom is key.
Bass
Bass fishing is about as good as it gets in mid-summer. Smallmouth are out on the rocks feeding heavily on crayfish. Leeches remain the top live bait, but we’ve also seen action on twitch baits like Rapalas, especially during calm mornings and evenings. Largemouth are locked into their summer pattern—tight to heavy cover and weeds. Look for them in as little as 3 feet of water. Plastics, topwater frogs, and spinnerbaits are all working well. Be ready to wade through some bluegill bites if you’re using crawlers.
Northern
Northern Pike are active in the deeper weed beds. Larger fish are coming out of cabbage and grass weeds in 8 to 12 feet. Pike chubs are still the go-to live bait, but Mepps spinners and Johnson Silver Minnows are catching plenty of fish, too. We’ve also seen action from these guys with Whopper Ploppers. The flashier the better, for these fish.
Panfish
Panfish action remains excellent. Bluegills are in the shallow weeds and hitting worms and small plastics. Crappies are hanging in the deeper weed beds and suspended over deeper water at times. Small jigs and minnows are getting the job done. Perch are also in the mix, often acting like miniature walleyes near the bottom in deeper weeds.
Musky
Musky action has picked up in recent days. Bucktails are still the top producer, but topwater baits are starting to trigger some explosive hits, especially just before or after dark. Some big fish have been reported in the area this week. Night fishing is a solid option now, both for size and for comfort out of the sun. We’ve seen a lot of guides move to “full days” that consist of 3 or 4 hours in the early mornings and 3 or 4 more in the evening with great success, especially on sunny hot days.
Even with a few scattered storms and a drop in temperature in the forecast this week, the overall outlook is good for anglers. Be smart about timing your trips—early, late, or during cloud cover—and you’ll find plenty of action.
Good luck and good fishin'!
Report courtesy of George Langley & Eagle Sports Center
